Smith College
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But it's also a very unique social environment. Everybody calls it the "Smith bubble." The campus is about 30-35% queer(ish), which is enormous compared to the average population, and very outspoken. Depending upon your social group, you may find yourself realizing that you don't have any/have very few friends that identify as heterosexual. Which is... definitely unique. Meeting guys, however, is not necessarily *difficult*, but it does require effort. There are free busses to UMass, Amherst, and Hampshire if you're really hurting for a home-grown testosterone fix. However, due to 5-College exchange, there are plenty of guys in most classes, and I have to say that, from what I hear from my friends at co-ed schools, I'm not missing out on co-ed dorm experiences. The dorms at Smith are absolutely palatial compared to those at other schools - and you're guarenteed a single by your junior year, and some people get them as sophomores or even as first-years.
Northampton is not NYC. There are a couple of bars in town and a nightclub, which is about it for nightlife. However, it is a very quirky little town with lots of interesting boutiques and delicious restaraunts, and is easily the most vibrant and interesting town that Western Mass has to offer. It's beautiful, too, and very, very safe. I routinely go out alone at night on walks, and feel safer than I do in my hometown. And, needless to say, very gay-friendly.
Smith is a very unique experience. Come here, and you'll have a fabulous educational experience with big name-power to boot (anybody who knows anything about colleges *will* be impressed by Smith, trust me), and meet a lot of amazing, interesting people, have small classes and outstanding professors who honestly do care about you. It is *not* for everyone, though. Academics are tough, and the campus can be liberal to intolerant at times, the social life is... not nearly as vibrant as what you'd get at a big-state school. Visit, visit, visit, and really sit down and decide what's important to you.If Smith is right for you, it'll kick off four of the most amazing years of your life.
It is a hard place to be sometimes. You will wish you went to UMass at some point. Or maybe Hampshire, or Amherst, if that's your style. And possibly Smith is not the place for you-- it is certainly not the traditional college experience; no hopping social life for sure, no men. But, having been here for three years, I see that Smith has changed me for the better, stressed me out more than another school might have, and definitely taught me different things about myself than another school would have. Plus, I think I will be eternally grateful for being forced to appreciate the value of my own sex (/gender/identity?? You will learn many words here to describe how your genitals relate to everything else).
If you come here, be confident. You can say the wrong answers in class and be OK. You got into this school for a reason, and it really is a great place to be.
People often ask whether being at a women's college creates a lot of "drama". The truth is, once you take the men out of the equation and cram a house full of intelligent and VERY busy women in, there is not much space for drama. I live on Green Street, and my house is one of the quietest and friendliest on campus.
I must warn you however: you CANNOT be homophobic to go to this school. A very large percentage of women here are gay or bisexual and there is a formidable transexual/gender queer comminity on campus as well. I am straight but I do enjoy the variety and the tolerance for said variety on my campus.
Get ready to do a lot of studying. However, there is always tutoring available, it's free and there is no stigma attached to it, so you'll have plenty of help. If you can make time, the gym is absolutely amazing, there are plentry of walk-in fitness classes and the food is generally decent.
There is a significant lack of boys on campus. I am in a long distance relationship as is every other girl I know who has a boyfriend, so don't come here if you're the boy crazy party type. There are parties here of course, and girls here definately like to have an excuse to take their clothes off, but the abscence of the opposite gender tends to let us get away with it.
The general atmosphere on campus is that of tolerance, independence and scholarships. The women (and men, because like I said, there is a transgender group on campus) actually have personalities, goals and opinions which is a breath of fresh air after the shallow immaturity of my high school. I truly love this place, in fact some mornings when I'm walking to class I have to suppress a smile because I'm so happy here.
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